Page 95 - THBI Student Handbook - 2020
P. 95
MAGNITUDE
THE GRADUATE PAPER IS THE FINAL STAGE IN THE PROCESS OF EARNING YOUR GRADUATE DEGREE.
In order to receive a graduate level degree, each student must submit a Master’s Thesis or a Doctoral
Dissertation that receives a passing review.
➔ Without a passing graduate paper, the student will not earn his or her graduate degree.
Of all the work a graduate level student does, the “FINAL PAPER” (aka “GRADUATE PAPER”) is the most
important he or she will do throughout his or her degree study program.
Therefore, common sense should tell you that you must not enter into this venture with a cavalier attitude!
The work of developing and preparing a PASSING graduate paper requires that you understand and comply
with OUR requirements and meet OUR expectations …and THAT YOU WORK ACCORDING TO OUR PURPOSE
for the graduate paper - - if you have an agenda other than this, you will most likely fail which is not what
we desire, we would much rather that you succeed!
The student’s GRADUATE PAPER must - -
1. Showcase his or her broad COMPREHENSION of the field of study (Biblical Studies, Ministry or
Practical Biblical Theology)
2. Illustrate his/her UNDERSTANDING of the specific focus of his or her paper
3. Exhibit at least moderate “LEADERSHIP QUALITIES” that the student has developed
GRADUATE PAPER - - PURPOSE
The purpose of a thesis or dissertation is this: To prove to the “Reviewer” that the student has
developed mastery of understanding in his or her field of study.
NOTE: Knowledge alone is not sufficient to write a passing graduate paper! If you submit a paper that
only showcases what you know, or think you know about a subject, topic or issue - - your paper
will fail, which means you have failed your entire degree study program!
Without the graduate paper, the only thing a student proves by completing his/her degree program
curriculum is that he/she was able to pass a number of open book exams - - which only shows that you
have mastered the “art” of finding answers in the textbooks and Bible!
We (THBI) don’t want you to merely prove what you know … we want you to prove that you have
achieved the ability to truly help others with what you know!
Therefore, the graduate student must make three important transitions:
1. The transition FROM: “How much knowledge I have”; TO: “How much comprehension have I developed?”
2. The transition FROM: “Disseminating knowledge to others” (mere academic exercise); TO: “Are
you able to impart understanding to others” (THBI’s definition of “Teaching”)
3. The transition FROM: “Being a learner”; TO: “Being a LEADER”
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